I am a wife to Bob, a mom to Connor, and a physician assistant who is passionate about beating heart disease. As a devoted lover of Jesus, I am on an unending quest for more truth, love, and wholeness through Him. I have come to a place in my life where I realize God is not afraid of my questions, and I have learned the joy of pursuing Him until I discover His heart. As a result, I created a blog to encourage others in their own journey towards Life, Liberty, and Love in Christ. I am passionate about doing life authentically in community, and am thrilled to share a bit of that with you here.
It has been a rough week.
What are we supposed to do when our dreams are crushed and our heart’s deepest desires left unfulfilled? Life doesn’t always hand us what we want. It can leave us grieving, longing for something untouchable.
God graciously granted us a child in 2008 after years of trying to conceive, including five rounds of fertility treatments. Connor brings great joy into our lives so I do not mean to minimize the gift he is by sharing our recent struggles . . . but we really wanted another child. I had vivid dreams about positive pregnancy tests and nursing my newborn in the hospital, but now after five more fertility treatments and a miscarriage, we are heartbroken. Hundreds of shots and thousands of dollars later, still no baby.
Since this round of fertility treatments did not work, I found myself questioning . . .
I am deeply saddened when I look at the moral decline of our nation . . . not just because I am concerned about our children's future, but also because I see the pain and brokenness in the lives of so many people. Many are searching for love and acceptance, and the last place they are finding it is in the church. This should not be! Churches were not meant to be Country Clubs where like-minded people gather; they are supposed to be safe havens where the hurting and the outcast are welcomed with love. Jesus said . . .
I signed up for Facebook (FB) after my son was born in 2008. It was fabulous connecting with old friends and sharing pictures of our families with each other. However, it did not take long before I started to receive friend requests from old high school classmates, and friends of friends that I barely knew. It seemed harmless to accept their requests, but before long, my newsfeed page was covered with posts from people with whom I did not have a relationship. I did not care about their political opinions or what they ate for dinner, but somehow I ended up thumbing through all their posts. At times, I even felt an unspoken pressure to . . .
There was a time in my life when I was really struggling in a relationship. I had prayed for God to restore things, but after being wounded yet one more time by this person, I was weary of the fight for peace. Their words hurt too much, and I was not sure I had the strength to face this person with grace.
I sat down at my computer feeling broken, wanting desperately to defend myself and point out the wrong they had done to me, but knowing this would only escalate the distance between us. I wiped my tears as I tried to find the right words. Deep within, a voice kept whispering . . .
It is hard to find the words to describe the true essence and character of my father Brian Connor. He touched so many people in his lifetime with Christ’s love, and this was his greatest joy. His memory will live on and his legacy will resonate through the lives of many people.
Brian used to call me his angel and Amy his princess. Ever since we were children, he told us we could be anything we set our hearts on. He told us to shoot for the stars and never settle for less than the best. He was our biggest fan in our successes and our biggest advocate when we faced challenges along the way. I knew I was....
Sadly, if you ask nonbelievers what they think of Christians, many would characterize them as judgmental. Though this is not an accurate assessment of all Christians, I still wonder why there is such incongruence between the lifestyle Christians claim to live and the way the world views us? Is it possible that we are so conditioned to judging others that it flies under the radar of our discernment? Recent events in my life have challenged me to examine this more carefully, and while searching God’s heart on this issue, several questions surfaced . . .
I could barely contain my excitement as I headed to a conference with some of my girlfriends. I was about to experience two of my favorite things - extended girl God time. As a mother and a career woman, undistracted time with friends and God were rare and precious gifts. For weeks I anticipated opening these gifts, knowing the process of driving to the conference would be just as enjoyable as the destination itself. In the past we would laugh and cut up in the car, or share our secrets and struggles (often shedding tears in the process), and other times we would worship together or pray for each other. Nothing brings me to life more than engaging in authentic relationship with others, where both people’s hearts are giving and receiving. Something beautiful, even spiritual, happens in this exchange . . .
We are finally past the election, but my sigh of relief has morphed into the forlorn realization that each party remains married to their offenses. I have always hated politics, so I intentionally avoided conversations and Facebook posts on the topic. But even now, after the people have voted, the heated discussions continue. Many are feeling despondent, fearful about the future of our nation, and apprehensive about how this new leadership will affect them personally.
This messy, and often volatile, exchange between people on both “sides” of the argument has left me pondering where the church fits in. For what issues should we take a stand . . .
There are many viewpoints within churches that have divided congregations over the centuries, and continue to do so. Churches have separated over issues such as predestination, the current role of the Holy Spirit, the proper way to repent, and how we should take communion or get baptized. However, today Christians are wrestling with issues such as gay marriage, and questioning their perception of truth and morality in the process. The postmodern mindset of our day is growing, meaning many now believe that truth is relative. This philosophy, that everyone can define his or her own version of truth, has infiltrated even . . .
